Go Back
–+ servings
Print

Italian Wedding Soup

Your whole family will love this Italian wedding soup with delicious meatballs, healthy vegetables, and pasta, all cooked in a savory broth. 
Course Soup
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

Meatballs:

  • 1 pound ground turkey or pork
  • ½ cup Italian bread crumbs
  • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Soup:

  • 1-2 tablespoons oil
  • 1½ cups chopped carrots
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 1 cup chopped sweet onion
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup acini de pepe, pastina or orzo pasta**
  • 6 ounces baby spinach
  • grated parmesan cheese for garnish

Instructions

Meatballs:

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.
  • Mix the turkey or pork, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, garlic, egg, parsley, and salt together in a medium bowl. It is easiest to use your hands to mix the ingredients.
  • Shape mixture into meatballs, about 1-inch in diameter, and place on the prepared baking sheet.
  • Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes. Check for doneness with a thermometer, which should read at least 160°F. Set aside while you finish the soup.

Soup:

  • Add the oil to a large pot and heat over medium-high heat until hot. Add the chopped carrots, celery, and onions and cook until tender, about 20 minutes.
  • Pour in the chicken broth. Then add the parsley, basil, pepper, and salt. Heat until the soup is hot and steaming.
  • Turn the heat down to medium, add the pasta and stir to combine. Cover and cook until the pasta is done, about 10-12 minutes.
  • Add the meatballs and spinach and stir. Continue to cook the soup over medium-low heat until the spinach has wilted, about 5 minutes. Sample the soup and add more salt to taste, if needed.
  • Ladle the soup into bowls and top with grated parmesan cheese (optional).

Notes

**If you like a brothier soup, you can reduce the pasta to 1/2 cup. Note that as the soup sits, the pasta will absorb more broth, so you can add more broth to thin the soup as desired.
Using Frozen Spinach:
  • You may also use a 6-ounce package of frozen spinach.
  • Let it thaw, pat it dry, and add it at the end. Give it a few minutes to heat before serving.
Storage:
  • Refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days or freeze in an airtight container for 3-4 months.
  • When reheating the soup, the pasta will have soaked up some of the broth, and the soup will be thicker. If needed, you can add a little more broth to the soup before reheating it to thin the soup a bit.